Jesse by Rebekah Lyn

Thank you, Sara for hosting me on your blog today. I began the launch of my new release Jessie with two “sneek peek” Teas. They were very successful so I thought it would be fun to talk about them.

Tea parties have become very popular of late. Have you always been interested in tea or did a particular event spark your interest?

My grandmother came from a large family who enjoyed spending time together and my great-aunt Virginia was always the hostess for family reunions. I loved when we would visit her and all of the family would come together. She was always bustling around the kitchen getting food ready or cleaning up and she always seemed so happy doing it. I wanted to be just like her when I grew up.

I’m not sure how or when I first became interested in the tradition of afternoon tea. Maybe it was the memories of family sitting around the table, sipping coffee or maybe it is the nostalgia of a more civilized society coupled with the thrill of entertaining that drew me in. As a child my family went to tea at an old estate in Quebec and I went to High Tea on a couple of Disney cruises, but it wasn’t until four or five years ago that this overwhelming fascination blossomed within me. I subscribed to Tea Time magazine so I could learn more about tea, etiquette, local tea shops, and especially recipes for great tea parties.
When I was brainstorming ideas on how I could connect with readers and promote my books the idea of having tea parties seemed a perfect fit.

How did you go about setting up a Tea? Were you nervous?

My first Tea was held at the home of a friend who has known me since I was a baby, which certainly helped with the nerves factor. I pulled together recipes from my Tea Time magazine and went on a baking binge. I enjoy baking almost as much as writing. If you’ve read any of my books you may have noticed how I often I talk about food.

The day of the tea, I wasn’t sure what to expect or how the group would react. Fortunately the atmosphere was relaxed and I was thrilled to have the chance to talk with people who had never read one of my books, to share with them how that first book came into being and what I hoped to accomplish with it.

After the success of that first tea, I knew I’d found the vehicle to connect with individuals beyond book sales and Tea with the Author is now my signature event.

The tea sounds like it was a great success. Aside from writing do you have any future plans and will tea be a part of them?

Yes they are! The dream I have for my future is moving to the mountains of North Carolina, which I love, and opening my own tea shop and bakery. I would run my tea shop from April to November and spend all winter writing,-bringing together the two things I love most and seems to take me back to those days of watching Aunt Virginia in the kitchen, pouring out her heart to make others happy.

About the Book

The four Cole boys suffer abuse at the hands of an alcoholic father, while largely being left to their own devices by a heartbroken and overworked mother. Their adventures on their island home have become a welcome escape, and one of the only things in life the boys can truly rely on. Jessie, the youngest and a dreamer, becomes enamored with US plans for manned space flight and its race to the moon, stirring his own dreams of one day becoming an astronaut. In a strange twist of fate, it is the space program and the momentum it gains that abruptly brings their beloved island life to an end. The family is forced to move to the city and start anew.

Life in town creates new challenges, financial pressures, news of the Vietnam War and the impending threat of the military draft for Max the eldest of the Cole brothers.

About the Author

Rebekah Lyn is a popular Indie writer with a strong following of loyal readers who enjoy her inspirational novels of Faith, Adventure, and Hope. She is a Christian with a heart for new beginnings, and her desire is to reflect that in each of her books.

Rebekah is a sandal-loving native Floridian, growing up in Titusville, Florida, within sight of the Kennedy Space Center. This was an exciting time to live on the Space Coast, with launches taking place on a regular basis. Growing up, the best place to watch a launch was at the edge of the Indian River, just blocks from Rebekah’s home. Fond memories abound of windows rattling and dogs barking as the big Saturn rockets or the Space Shuttles raced into the heavens. Sonic booms made everyone jump as the astronauts returned from space, and sometimes she could get a glimpse of their return in the skies above her home. She will always be proud of America’s space program.

An eye witness to the Challenger disaster on January 28, 1986, she and her fellow classmates watched with horror as the historic event unfolding before them. This event became a personal and lasting memory.

An active participant in social media, Rebekah enjoys interacting with her readers, particularly at her signature “Tea with the Author” events.